Desolation Row
by Beccatdemon13
Summary: The evil that killed their mother wasn’t the end; it was only the beginning. Aiden Winchester has lived his entire life in the shadows. Whether it was the shadows of his older brothers or the lifestyle that he was born into that demanded ambiguity. R&R.
1. Prologue

**Desolation Row**

By: Beccatdemon13

©2009

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anyone except for Aiden Winchester as well as anyone you don't immediately recognize. Please don't sue. You'd only be getting a hell of a lot of textbooks. What? Don't look at me like that College ain't a paying gig you know. But god I wished it was. Beccatdemon13 now will go off to fantasize about the lack of tuition payments that being paid would bring. Oh, right, the story! On we go…

**Synopsis: **Evil triumphs when good men do nothing. The evil that killed their mother wasn't the end; it was only the beginning. Aiden Winchester has lived his entire life in the shadows. Whether it was the shadows of his older brothers or the lifestyle that he was born into that demanded ambiguity.

**Author's Note: **This is another character that got way out of hand. I had been thinking of rewriting the entire Winchester Clan series because I feel that I have grown as a writer. Rewriting the entire series, however, is not something that I can do at the moment. Also, I was tired of Hailey's narration. I decided that Aiden needed more of a turn. **Those I dub this the spin off of the Winchester Clan series, in which Hailey **_**never existed**_**. Aiden is the youngest/protagonist.** And, as always please, please, please, review! Character concepts are in my profile.

**Chapter One: Prologue**

_Mary Campbell never had a normal life. She was a part of a legacy of hunters and it wasn't the normal kind of hunting either. The Campbell's, for generations, hunted the supernatural, the stuff the very fabric of people's nightmares were made of. Mary had resented the family business since she was ten years old deemed the freak, the outcast. She resolved to get out of that life by any means necessary. Eight years later she met John Winchester who had recently come back to Lawrence, Kansas, from a tour of duty. He was as normal as she was not and that made her fall for him and fall for him, hard. But, John was a civilian in Mary's father Samuel's eyes and he would always disapprove. You didn't date outsiders. It just wasn't done._

"_You promised me you'd take me away," Mary Campbell cried to John Winchester one autumn night._

"_Of course," John replied._

"_Do it now!" Mary sobbed._

_John held her tight for a moment before opening his car door for her and racing out to their favorite spot: the lake._

"_I guess there's no secret as to why I brought you way out here," John whispered sheepishly._

"_John," Mary started._

"_Just let me get through this, okay?" John asked._

"_Wait," Mary whispered. "There are things you don't know about me."_

_Guilt weighed heavily on Mary's mind. She really should tell John about the family secret. But she knew he wouldn't believe her. Worst yet she didn't want him too._

"_So?" John smiled. "I will always love you for exactly who you are."_

_Mary's eyes watered slightly as John's words took hold. He always knew exactly what to say. She went to move closer to him when someone began to pound on the door. Mary gasped horrified to find her irate father outside the window. She couldn't move as he opened the door and dragged her out not being even the least bit gentle. Mary struggled and dragged her feet but her father was stronger and blocked every maneuver she threw. After all it was hard to fight against the person who had taught you every single fighting technique you knew._

"_Sir wait!" John cried trailing after Samuel and Mary._

"_Dad you're hurting me," Mary couldn't help but to whimper._

"_Hey take it easy!" John growled attempting to wedge his way in between the pair._

_Two things then happened at once. Samuel shoved Mary away before he took John head and twisted until he heard the satisfying crack of bone._

"_No!" Mary screamed rushing to get to John's side, to cradle him in her arms. "You killed him." Accusation was shining clear in Mary's eyes._

"_Well, not just John sweetie pie," Samuel laughed. It was a bone-chilling laugh that made Mary look up. It wasn't her father it was something a lot worse, "mommy and daddy too. They're all dead."_

"_No," Mary whispered unable to believe the words even as she saw the wound on her father's body. How could this have happened? They were so careful._

"_Yup, 'fraid so," The demon laughed. "You're little orphan Mary now."_

"_You son of a bitch!" Mary yelled._

"_Ooh, sticks and stones may break my bones but they won't bring your family back either." The demon taunted._

"_I'll kill you I swear to god," Mary hissed._

"_Oh, let's not get nasty. Now look we both said some things we might regret," The demon sighed. "Let's….kiss and make up. I'll tell ya what I'll arrange to have lover boy brought back breathing."_

"_My parents too?" Mary whimpered._

"_Nope, sorry, doll, that deal is not on the table," The demon retorted. "Think about it you could be done with hunting forever. The white picket fence, a station wagon, a couple of kids. No more monster's to fear. I'll make sure of it."_

"_What?" Mary scoffed. "And all it will cost is my soul?"_

"_Oh, no you can keep your soul," The demon replied. "I just need permission."_

"_For what?" Mary asked._

"_Eh ten years from now I need to swing by your house for a little something."_

"_For what?" Mary demanded._

"_Relax." The demon commanded. "As long as I'm not interrupted no one gets hurt, I promise. Or you can spend the rest of your life desperate and alone. Mary, it's a good deal. So what do you say?_

_In a fit of desperation and the promise of a better, more normal life she accepted. Hoping that whatever it was the demon wanted it wouldn't hurt her family. The demon held up its end of the bargain John was brought back to life and he ended up proposing that very night._

_The first child the Winchester's brought into the world was Dean Matthew Winchester, born on January 24, 1979. Four years later Samuel Allen Winchester was born on May 2, 1983. Mary had long since forgotten about the deal that brought her husband back to life. She had her hands full dealing with two small boys. On November 2, 1983, Sam woke up crying in the middle of the night. Mary rolled over trying to tell John that it was his turn to see if Sammy wanted anything. What Mary found was that the bed was empty. She sighed yawning as she stumbled down to her child's nursery. At the threshold of the door she saw John leaning over Sam's crib._

"_John?" Mary yawned. "Is he hungry?"_

"_Shhhh," John whispered._

"_Okay," Mary shrugged heading back towards the bedroom._

_Mary paused by the bedroom door noticing that the hallway was basked in a blue glow. Someone had left the television on. Shaking her head at John's mistake she wandered down the stairs and that's when her heart stopped in her chest. Her husband was sprawled on the couch snoring soundly._

"_Sammy!" Mary shouted panicking slightly as she raced back up the stairs._

_As Mary raced through the hallway that suddenly seemed unbearably long she realized something that nearly made her freeze. It was ten years later. She had selfishly forgotten about the deal and had a infant who couldn't even protect itself. How stupid was she? She stumbled through Sam's nursery and glared at the figure by her son's crib._

"_It's you," Mary hissed._

_Suddenly the figure turned glaring at her with yellow eyes. Before Mary could move an inch she was slammed against the wall, pinned by an invisible force._

"_Well, well, well," The demon scoffed. "If it isn't my favorite person."_

"_What did you do to him?" Mary demanded sharply._

"_Nothing you need to worry about," The demon scoffed. "You tried to weasel out of your deal. I wasn't supposed to be disturbed."_

"_Don't you touch my family," Mary growled._

"_Oh, honey," The demon laughed. "I won't hurt your family I need them."_

"_What's that supposed to mean?" Mary whispered._

"_That means you'll be making another deal," The demon explained gleefully._

"_No," Mary growled_

"_You don't seem to understand," The demon sighed. "I will kill John. And I'll make sure that Dean and Sam will never know who their parents were."_

"_Fuck you," Mary growled._

"_So stubborn," The demon growled. "And feisty. I love it."_

_Before Mary could say a word she was over come with an unbearable pain. She let out a small whimper attempting to block it out. She saw blood dripping to the floor but refused to recognize the pain as she heard her children's cries fill the air. Tears began to pour out of Mary's eyes but she couldn't move a muscle to save her children. It all became too much to deal with when she heard her husband's screams join those of her children._

"_Stop!" Mary gasped. "Please, stop. Don't hurt them."_

"_All you have to do is say the words," The demon replied as Mary's family's screams intensified. "And seal the deal."_

"_All right!" Mary replied. "All right. Please, just leave them alone! They have nothing to do with this!"_

"_You will have three more years," The demon growled. "As long as no one disturbs me no one will get hurt."_

"_Okay," Mary gasped._

_She was released from against the wall and she scrambled to Sammy's crib he seemed fine and was sleeping peacefully. Mary breathed a small sigh as she raced to Dean's room only to find that Dean was fast asleep as well. It was then Mary realized no one was screaming or hurt. She had been tricked once again but the demon wasn't going to get in her house again. Next time she would be fully prepared._

_Mary walked to the bathroom and wrapped her stomach. There was a small long cut across it. Thanks to her childhood Mary had many random scars all over her body but at least she knew how to take care of herself. She was no stranger from the pain of the random wounds that her old life brought her._

_The next several years were filled with a lot of growing up. Sam and Dean sprouted up like weeds. John had a steady job as a mechanic and Mary's one job was making sure that her two boys stayed out of any serious trouble. John and Mary were better than ever loving every moment they had together._

_On December 13, 1986 Mary gave birth one more child, Aiden Riley Winchester. Mary had forgotten all about the Demon's deal. She thought that her life was perfect she had three healthy boys and the most perfect man to call her own. On June 13, 1986 the Winchester's world changed forever. It seemed like it was déjà vu, Mary heard Aiden begin to cry and she stumbled out of bed and down the hallway towards the his nursery. She opened the door and saw someone leaning over Aiden's crib._

"_I knew you'd come," Mary hissed pulling herself all the way into the bedroom. Mary pulled out of the gun she had stashed in the room and pointed it at the figure._

"_You'll never could keep your end of the deal," A deep voice growled before slamming Mary against the wall._

_Once again Mary found herself pinned against the wall. The demon raised his hand and Mary let out a small cry as she slid around up the wall before she lay trapped on the ceiling. She was starring down on Aiden's bed before her stomach was split wide open. She screamed as loud as possible the pain was way too intense for one person to deal with. The demon had already disappeared but Mary was still trapped to the ceiling. Seconds later John burst through the door looking around before coming to a stop by Aiden's crib. Mary's blood dropped down on the pillow by her youngest son's head and John's head snapped upward a look of panic on his face. Suddenly the room burst into flames John jumped into action grabbing Aiden who had started to cry. He raced out of the room making sure that Dean had a hold of both Aiden and Sam before running out of the house and into the night._

_John Winchester, blinded by grief went to a local psychic who told John exactly what had happened to his home and his wife. Missouri Mosley, the psychic was the person who told John that this was not the first time this happened but the second. John then went to Daniel Elkins learning to hunt and kill the same Supernatural beings who had killed his wife. He raised his children to be able to kill and defend each other from the Supernatural. Little did John Winchester know, that the very decision he decided to make was in the exact footsteps of the Campbell family that Mary had turned her back on all those years ago._


	2. One False Move

**Chapter Two: One False Move**

Most kids grew up in a house or an apartment. Most kids went to nearly the same school their entire lives and were in the same school district with the same kids. I however was not like most kids. I grew up in motel rooms and the occasional apartment or house. I had been enrolled in twelve different schools and I was only eleven years old.

My name was Aiden Winchester. Yeah, Winchester like the gun, I swear if I had a dollar for every time I heard that I'd be a very rich kid. I was born December 13, 1986. I had dirty blonde hair and blue green eyes. I was also the youngest of three. I had two older brothers; the eldest was Dean Matthew Winchester. He was born January 24, 1979 and was seriously over protective. He had green eyes and spiky dark blonde hair he was also five foot one. Samuel Allen Winchester was my older brother. He was born on May 2, 1983. He had shaggy dark brown hair and bright green eyes. Where Dean was the brawn, Sammy was the brain, not that Dean was stupid. He was far from dim-witted. Where Sam was book smart, Dean was street smart and both of them together was a deadly combination.

The one thing I forgot to mention was that my father was a brilliant man. He was a former marine and I believed that him being a marine made him who he was to this day. The other thing that made him turn out the way he did was the death of his wife, our mother. It was my sixth month birthday when something came to our house, something evil. We didn't know what it was and I was only a baby so I didn't remember. But I do know what my brother's told me. They said it was no electrical short in the ceiling that killed our mother. Oh, no, it was something more sinister.

After that our little family was never the same again. My father, John Winchester, plunged into both a depressed and agitated state. He needed to find what had killed his wife our mother. He first went to a local physic for guidance and she helped him see the bigger picture. We weren't alone. There were things, the stuff of your worst nightmares that walked among us. Demons, ghosts, you name it my father had researched them, hunted them. I've heard some people say that the evil that killed our mother was the end, but that wasn't true. It was only the beginning.

All of this researching didn't give him much time to be an actual father to us. That's where Dean stepped up to the plate. Dean was the surrogate parent and big brother wrapped into one. Sam was the regular kind of big brother, although, he was one of the biggest nerds in the whole world. When I was eight I learned how to fight and protect myself. I was trained in gun, knife, and hand-to-hand combat. I had to learn Latin to exorcise demons and I learned a few others so that my brothers' and I could communicate if we believed we were being followed.

The one problem of teaching three boys how to fight very well was that sometimes we used those skills on each other. And other times we used it on civilians. With twelve different schools that lay the way for many the bully to pick on the new kid. Normally I just let the comments roll off my back. My brothers had a hell of a lot more wit and muscle that could put any bully to shame. However, there were some times where the bully just chose the wrong kid, and the wrong day. After all the only thing that my father hadn't seemed to teach me yet was to control my temper. Although, all the Winchester men had temper problems.

I had only been in PS 115 for about a week when all hell broke loose. Sam and I were in the middle school and high school respectively. That was normally a good thing but it was annoying in this case because these kids just would not leave me alone. I was cursed the fact that Sam was in freshman year while I was stuck in seventh grade. Dad had also kindly gotten us a one-bedroom apartment in the not-so-great side of town before leaving on a hunt. Dean was eighteen years old and in his senior year of high school. Sometimes if the hunt was particularly difficult he'd pull Dean out of school. Most of the time Dad avoided that having two of his children in school while the third and oldest was absent brought up unneeded question marks. It was hard to tell whether or not he resented being left here with us or not. I mean Dean was Dad's second in command he stayed or went as needed. Sam and Dad had been at each other's throats recently and somehow Sam always brought up Dean's unflinching obedience to every order Dad thought of. I hated it when Sam and Dad fought and hated it even more when they dragged us into it.

I was forced to make a decision. After being in twelve different schools the decision was still as difficult as it was with the first new school I went to. The decision was to fight the bullies back, to the best of my ability, which was pretty damn good, thanks to my father and Dean, and be labeled a freak for my efforts. Or I could just take it because I was a pretty small thirteen year old. And a small thirteen year old should not be able to beat the crap out of people bigger then they are or so middle school logic goes.

This was my first time choosing to just take it. I had fought against it, I had run away from it, but I never just let it happen. Dean always said that while we shouldn't make waves at whatever school we were at we shouldn't let people hurt us. But Dean wasn't in school and neither was Sam. I also had to walk the three blocks between the middle school and the high school so that Dean could pick us up at the same time

"Winchester!" Randy Lawrence snarled from behind me.

Randy Lawrence was this school's biggest bully. Every one seemed fearful of him. He looked like a ninth grader. He was taller and bigger then most people in the school and he used that to his advantage. The second I got into school he hated me. He had told me again and again that we didn't belong here. He said that having no mother was sinful. But this was coming from a kid who never met his father. Did you smell the jealousy?

I continued walking because the last words my father had said before he left was to 'keep my head down' and 'mind your brother'. Which were two things I heard very often. I'm sure you're surprised.

"Hey, I'm fucking talking to you, freak!" Randy snapped.

I was suddenly pushed from behind and I toppled to the ground. I let out a small grunt as my knees hit the unforgiving asphalt.

"Get up, bitch," Randy growled kicking me in the side. "I said get up!"

"I didn't do anything," I hissed as I rose to my feet.

"Your family doesn't belong here," Randy spat.

"My family is known of your concern," I retorted.

"Shut up, freak." Randy growled.

I didn't have a chance to respond before Randy's hand snapped out backhanding me to the ground. I felt blood bubble to the surface from my nose and that distracted me for an instant. In that instant I misplaced my palms to catch my fall. The result was an immediate snap sound in my left wrist. Thankfully I wrote with my right hand.

Randy grabbed a fist full of my hair brining his lips to my ear. "You better not say a word, bitch."

Before I could say anything he was gone. I gently got up on my knees. My wrist hurt but it was starting to die down. It was already swelling by the time I got to my feet. I picked up my backpack with my good hand and put it around my shoulders. I then walked over to a nearby-parked car and wiped the blood away from my face. At least I didn't have a cut so that it didn't look like anything was wrong. I pushed the sleeve on my shirt so that it covered my wrist. Problem solved.

I then picked up my pace hurrying to get to the high school. When I got there I saw Sam sitting by the wall closest to the parking lot. He looked up when I came into view.

"Aide, where've you been?" Sam asked standing on his feet and walking towards me.

"Sorry, a teacher wanted to talk to me," I muttered.

"Really?" Sam asked as I saw an eyebrow raise.

"It was over a grade," I shrugged.

"Aiden," Sam warned.

"It was nothing, Sam," I replied.

"Where's Dean?" I asked.

"Detention," Sam scoffed smirking. "I'm sure you're surprised."

"What did he do?" I asked.

"Was caught making out with another student," Sam shrugged

I shook my head as I watched the impala pull into the teacher's parking lot. The senior lot was located around the back of the school but Dean must've told him to wait there Dean swerved into the spot in front us. Sam moved in front of me climbing into the passenger seat. I climbed into the back sprawling out as Dean threw the car in reverse.

"How was school?" Dean asked.

"Fine," Sam shrugged.

"Aide?" Dean asked.

"When do we get to leave?" I responded.

"Why?" Dean asked eyeing me in the rearview mirror.

"Just wondering," I said.

"I talked to Dad," Dean replied. "We should be out of here in a few weeks."

"Good," I muttered.

I wasn't blind enough to miss the looks Sam and Dean sent each other or the looks Dean kept giving me in the rear view mirror. I sighed and burrowed myself deeper into the leather of the back seat. We were soon back at the apartment and I carefully got out of the car slamming the door of the impala behind me as I trailed behind Sam and Dean. Once I was inside the apartment I made a beeline to the bathroom locking the door behind me. I shrugged out of the flannel button down that had made it down the ranks from Dean to Sam to me. I hissed as the once soft fabric felt like fire as it slid over my wrist. I turned on the cold water and stuck my wrist underneath the flow.

"Aiden!" Dean shouted knocking on the door. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," I replied.

"You sure?" Dean questioned.

"Yeah," I muttered.

"Okay," Dean responded.

I heard Dean walking away from the door and let the breath I didn't know I was holding go. I wondered fleetingly why I was hiding my broken wrist but I knew the answer almost instantly. I didn't want my brothers' to know I had my ass handed to me. The other reason why was the fact that I really hated hospitals and getting fixed up. I hid nearly every injury that happened to me on a hunt, or at least I tried to.

Despite knowing that I can't hide injuries for long I do it anyway. Call it putting off the inevitable. I just hated the fact that the strongest thing we had at any given time was Advil. Sometimes we were lucky to have vicodin but that would mean that we had actually gone to the hospital. Because hunting is not a very tolerable profession in the real world, my father wasn't exactly paid. He ran credit card scams, and hustled pool. Sometimes he and Dean jobs as mechanics. Other than that the way we made money was pretty illegal. And Dad had been caught by the cops on some cases he made sure to let us know that we all probably had rap sheets which was why we couldn't just pop up at a hospital. So, I was doing everyone a favor by not telling them I broke my wrist so we wouldn't risk exposure. Yeah, it was a reach but it could work. Maybe? Hopefully.

I opened the door and saw Sam at the kitchen table doing his homework on his laptop while Dean lounged on the couch watching a horror movie with flickering interest making disapproving noises under his breath every so often.

"Stupid kids," Dean growled. "Swear to god watch a few horror movies you'll learn a thing."

I snickered as I took the seat across from Sam and starting to do my homework. Since Sam was using the laptop I had a good excuse to do my English homework with just a pen and paper. It said a lot for my family that we were watching a horror movie on pretty much full volume and we barely flinched if someone screamed or died. It would hardly be scary for a normal person with Dean critiquing every mistake the people made.

Around five was when Dean started to make dinner and Sam and I had finished our homework. For dinner that night we had chicken and French fries. When we had finished dinner Sam did the dishes and the joined Dean and me on the couch as we tried to find something to watch.

It was a shortly after eleven when I decided to call it a night. Because there was only one bedroom space was tight. There were three beds with Sam, Dean, and I sharing the one bedroom. Dad got the pullout bed in the living room. I shrugged into sweatshirt before pulling off my jeans and getting into bed.

I had managed two days without my brothers calling me on anything. That didn't mean they didn't notice. I knew that things were coming to come out in the open sooner rather than later but I had no idea how soon 'sooner' was. I had broken my wrist on Monday and I didn't have another gym class until Wednesday, which was today, go figure, right? Anyway I walked into the gym a little apprehensive. I hid in the back until I was called to bat next. I gripped the bat with my right hand and lightly with my left. My wrist felt was still swollen but it wasn't as bad as it was on Monday. I was just about to swing the bat when a loud whistle broke out.

"Winchester!" Coach Stevens shouted. "Front and center."

I jogged obediently toward the coach. She seemed nice but I had seen her yell at anyone who didn't listen to instructions. Someone had told me that she had been there since school had started. She might've been old but I doubted she was that old.

"Yes ma'am?" I asked.

"Let me see your hand, Winchester," Coach Stevens ordered. "You're left hand, wise guy."

I reluctantly gave her my left hand stifling a yelp as she pulled up on my sleeve. She gasped before looking at me with a critical eye. "Your wrist is broken, young man."

I hung my head and pulled my wrist pack pulling my sleeve back down.

"Come with me," Coach Stevens order. "Stacy, watch them!"

Stacy was the student teacher and she nodded her head. Coach grabbed my arm and dragged me all the way to the nurse's office. I tried convincing her otherwise.

"Please, ma'am," I whispered. "I'll be okay."

"This wrist has been broken for a while Winchester, is there something you want to tell me. Problems at home?"

"No ma'am," I replied.

"You lying to me?" She demanded.

"No ma'am," I responded firmly.

"Alright," Coach Stevens sighed ushering me into the Nurses office. "Nancy I need you to phone Aiden Winchester's parents."

"My Dad's not home," I mumbled. "You have to call my brother, Dean."

"The one in high school?" Nurse Nancy asked apparently having heard of my family.

"Yes ma'am," I answered. "He's a senior."

"Okay, son, have a seat," Nurse Nancy replied. "I can take this from here, Sheila."

I watched in apprehension as she called the high school. It took a while for Dean to come to the phone but when he did I heard panic in his tone. It wasn't often we were called in school. I could here bits and pieces of his answers. But the main one I heard was 'Son of a bitch!' I was in so much fucking trouble. Nurse Nancy looked reproachfully at the phone and went to say something but was met with a dial tone.

"Kids these days," I heard the Nurse mutter. "Coach Stevens tells me that you broke your wrist."

"Yes ma'am." I sighed.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Nurse Nancy asked.

"No ma'am," I replied and then I clamped my mouth shut.

Not even ten minutes later Dean burst through the door of the Nurse's office. He looked to be in full hunters mode looking around the office before his gaze landed on me. And just when I thought I would be safe in a public place, Dean gave me a dangerous and pointed look that did not spell good things for me.

"And who are you?" Nurse Nancy demanded.

"Dean Winchester," Dean smiled. "I'm here to take Aiden home."

"I hope you mean to a doctor," Nurse Nancy replied.

"Yes ma'am," Dean replied. "Come here, Aiden."

I opened my mouth to say something but at Dean's look I closed my mouth and got to my feet. I walked towards them making sure to stop before I was within grabbing distance. Dean sighed the waiver for my release before nodding his head toward the exit. I had no choice but to walk past him and out the door. Dean and the nurse exchanged a few words before I suddenly felt Dean's presence. A second later I felt his warm calloused hand on the back of my neck directing me toward the exit. He didn't say a word. But then again he didn't have to. Dean hated when I hid injuries and the tension in his body spoke volumes.

I got into the passenger seat of the impala as Dean got into the driver's side. He started the car and pealed out of the parking lot.

"Dean?" I asked.

"Not. One. Word," Dean growled. "We'll be talking plenty later, junior."

I frowned not liking the sound of that at all. Gone was my big brother and in his place was my surrogate father. Dean had made the switch so easy it would be nearly uncatchable to someone who didn't know him.

The parenting techniques of the John and Dean Winchester were not very hippy lovy dovy. I think that would all be different if we still had a mother but since it was only Dad he raised us as if we were in the military. Or so it felt. Saying 'sir' or 'ma'am' to elders and disobedience or insubordination was always dealt with chores or when we were younger he'd spank us. Actually the only person who had seemingly aged out of the more corporal approach was Dean. Just three weeks ago Sam got his ass handed to him for being insubordinate and just being typical Sam, meaning head butting Dad over every little thing. And for as long as I could remember Dean had been allowed to spank Sam and I.

Dean tried other means of punishment from groundings to chores but there were just some things that weren't tolerated by him. Disobeying orders, lying, cheating, something that could hurt yourself, and sometimes fighting always had the same reaction. And I knew without a doubt that with the way Dean kept growling my ass was toast. I should make it a point to say that neither Dean nor my father was abusive. They gave us more then enough chances to change our behavior.

"Aiden get out of the car," Dean ordered as he opened the passenger side door. I looked up and saw that we were outside a minute clinic.

I got out of the car and trudged behind Dean. Ten minutes later we were in one of the back rooms as I longed on the table. Dean sat on the chair by the table his foot shaking as he impatiently waited for the doctor. I sighed the tension in the room was making my hair stand on end. I was just about to crack and start babbling when the doctor came into the room.

"Hello, Mr. Hale," The doctor replied. "I'm Doctor Cullen."

"Hello," Dean smiled.

"Now what happened here?" Dr. Cullen asked.

"He broke his wrist," Dean replied. "And didn't feel like telling anyone."

"Oh," Dr. Cullen grimaced taking hold of my broken wrist. "Judging by the swelling this happened around Monday afternoon. The nurse already took x-rays, correct?"

"Yes sir," I whispered.

"Here they are, Dr. Cullen," A random nurse stated putting the two slides on the light box thing.

"Well, it looks like a clean break," Dr. Cullen said. "We'll get you fitted for a hard cast. Nurse?"

"Yes, doctor," The nurse replied.

Twenty minutes later my forearm was wrapped in hard black plaster. I knocked in restlessly against my leg as the doctor and Dean talked outside the room. They both came back in Dean walking to lean on the table next to me stilling the movement of my arm banging on my leg.

"Now, Aiden," Dr. Cullen started. "This cast will be one your arm for five weeks. I think you'll make a full recovery but you cannot hide injuries. You could seriously hurt yourself."

"Yes sir," I muttered.

"Okay, well, your father has already paid," Dr. Cullen replied. "You're free to go."

"Oh, joy," I muttered following after Dean. I felt like a puppy following my brothers at nearly every turn.

We were home way before I wanted to be. A sharp order to get out of the car had me scrambling for the front door. Dean's hand suddenly wrapped around my arm, closing the door behind us. He pushed me on the couch as he sat down on the coffee table.

"What happened?" Dean asked.

"Nothing," I responded.

"Aiden," Dean warned.

Nothing, Dean," I groaned.

"Right," Dean scoffed. "We're going to sit here until this whole thing is sorted. So start talking."

I shook my head and clamped my mouth shut. I didn't need Dean to find out I was being bullied. I could take care of myself. Dean narrowed his eyes at me before he settled on the table. We glared at each other in tense silence. I knew that Dean would be the first to break. He wasn't the type to not talk after something like that.

"Who was it, Aiden?" Dean growled.

"Randy Lawrence," I sighed.

"The kid's dead," Dean fumed. "I'm going to rip his lungs out."

"Dean, it isn't a big deal," I whispered.

"Not a big deal?" Dean scoffed. "Aide, look at yourself. If Dad was here…"

"He's not," I interrupted.

"Well, I am," Dean responded. "And as soon as I'm finished with that dick!"

"Shut up," I groaned. In any other situation I would've smiled at the surprised look on Dean's face. "I don't need your help."

"That's right you don't," Dean agreed. "You could've torn him apart so why didn't you?"

"Because I don't want to be a freak for once." I sighed. "Dean I just want to be normal."

"And taking a beating is normal?" Dean demanded. When I didn't answer he forged on. "And since when have you cared about being normal? Did Sam talk you into this?"

"No!" I shouted. "God, Dean. I am capable of original thought."

"Hey, watch it, junior," Dean warned.

"Can I go now?" I asked.

Dean frowned glancing at me critically. He eyed my cast and then brought his eyes back up locking with mine in the process.

"No," Dean responded. "There's still a matter of you hiding a broken wrist."

"I didn't know I broke it," I shrugged.

"Aiden," Dean warned. His voice was velvet soft but laced with a menace I rarely heard directed at me.

"I'm sorry," I whispered.

"What if it had set crooked, Aiden?" Dean growled. "If it had set we would've had to break it again to get it to set properly. You want that?"

"I don't like hospitals," I grunted.

"I understand that, Aide, I do," Dean said. "But you can't hide injuries. How many time do Dad and I have to go over this with you before that sticks in your mind."

"I'm sorry," I repeated.

"No, you're not," Dean corrected. "You're sorry you got caught."

What was I supposed to say? He got me there. I was perfectly content with dealing with a broken wrist by myself until that stupid gym teacher had to get in my way.

"Come here, Aiden," Dean ordered.

"What?" I asked before shaking my head. "No way!"

"You know what to expect from hiding injuries," Dean sighed suddenly looking nothing like the eighteen year old boy he was and looking more like a thirty year old. "Dad, would do the exact same thing and like you said he's not here."

"Dean, please," I whispered.

"You think I like doing this, Aiden?" Dean demanded angrily.

"No sir," I whimpered.

The 'sir' popped out of my mouth automatically. I was never required to call Dean 'sir' but it always seemed to pop out in situations like this. I followed Dean into our room so that we'd have some privacy if Sam decided to come back early. A half hour later I was taking a nap on my stomach trying to avoid moving. While Dean hated spanking Sam and I he sure did a thorough job, painfully so in fact.

Dean had gone to pick up Sam from school telling me that he'd stop by a pharmacy and get some painkillers for my wrist. I wondered fleetingly if they would help the pain in my butt that was more of a dull ache then the fiery pain it was seconds after Dean had finally stopped. I must've fallen asleep because when I woke up there was extra weight on my bed. I blinked sleepily and looked to see Sam just looking at me.

"Are you going to lecture me too?" I groaned.

"No," Sam replied. "I get where you're coming from, Aide."

"Really?" I asked.

"Yeah," Sam scoffed. "You think you're the first person in this family who didn't want to be considered a freak?"

"It just isn't fair," I sighed.

"I know," Sam replied.

"But what else are we going to do?" Sam shrugged.

"You say that despite fighting with Dad at every turn?" I muttered.

"Aiden," Sam groaned. "Dad and I are a lot alike. We butt heads a lot but he's still my father."

"Okay," I responded.

Sam smiled resting a hand on my shoulder before getting up and wandering out of the room. I nestled back in my bed attempting to go back to sleep when I felt someone jostling me. One of my eyes snapped open and I saw myself face to face with Dean.

"Here," Dean replied. He was holding two capsules and a glass of water.

"Thanks," I whispered.

"You going to come out?" Dean asked after I had taken the medicine. "Or are you still tired?"

"Can we get pizza?" I asked.

"Aiden, you know we're not supposed to," Dean sighed.

"Please, Dean?" I responded. "Dad won't know and he left you with money."

"Fine," Dean laughed. "I swear you're worse than Sammy with that puppy face."

"Hey, student surpasses the master," I grinned.

"Go get your shoes on," Dean smiled resting a hand on the back of my neck. "Sammy! Pizza!"

"Okay!" Sam shouted.

I got on my shoes and shrugged into my jacket as I wandered out of the room and joined my brothers by the door. Dean and Sam walked in front of me towards the pizza place that was only a block away. We ordered a regular cheese pizza and a two-liter bottle of Coke before walking back towards the apartment. We all lounged out on the couch eating straight from the box and watching a _Nightmare on Elm Street_ marathon.

A few hours later we had crashed for the night. I swear that I found it nearly impossible to believe that Dean was always the first one to fall asleep when we all went to bed at the same time. Dean was the lightest sleeper of all of us and I was the soundest. I had the bed in between Dean and Sam's thus I was protected from whatever would want to come in. Personally I thought that they were being way to paranoid but I learned that I needed to chose my battles.

"Hey, Runt, wake up," Sam ordered smacking my foot that was not covered from the blanket.

I moaned under my breath but knew that if I didn't wake up then Dean would come in and pour a cup of freezing cold water on my face. I rolled over rubbing the sleep out of my eyes as I moved in the direction of the bathroom. I smiled slightly as I brushed my teeth. My brothers had their nicknames for me. Little Einstein, Runt, and kid, where among their favorites.

The Little Einstein nickname came from what had happened when I was eight years old. We were staying at a school that was going through normal standardized testing and since my father had filled out the forms saying that we had moved from a different school district within state I was subject to these tests along with Sam and Dean. We didn't think anything of it. I mea they were just tests. We were still waiting around for Dad when the results came in. Dean opened all three of ours. Sam and he were in a high percentage and me? Well, I was in the ninety seventh percentile. Dean tested in the seventy fifth and Sam was in the eighty second percentile. When Dad got home he looked at the results pride shining clear in his eyes. Along the way to the next job he took me to another testing center where I once again tested in the genius level. My brothers and I were all good at different things that's why they never let my above average intelligence hinder them from treating me like their normal little brother.

"Aiden, hurry it up!" Dean shouted from the living room. "We're all going to be late."

"What difference does it make?" I groaned as I struggled to put on my shoes one handed.

I was moving as I was putting on my right shoe and I tripped on the hallway rug and fell on my butt with a loud thud. I groaned as I struggled to get back up as I heard Dean coming to find out what had happened.

"Aiden, what are you doing?" Dean laughed at the irritated look on my face.

"I'm having a hard time with my shoes," I grumbled.

The look on Dean's face was a cross between irritation and pity. Dean took the shoe out of my hand and helped put them on my feet before grabbing my hand and placing my feet on the floor. I was the first one to be dropped off and they helped me get my backpack out of the truck. I waved them goodbye and made my way into the middle school.

The day past without any major problems. I was standing in the front of the middle school waiting for the final bell to ring before I started to make my way towards the high school when I felt someone moving behind me. I spun on my heel ad suppressed a groan. Randy Lawrence had been following me.

"What do you want?" I demanded.

Randy didn't say a word lunging towards me as I moved out of the way. I ground my teeth together. I had come to realize the 'just take it' approach was not going to work. He shoved me backwards a circle formed around us. I shoved forward punching Randy across the face before elbowing him in the stomach. I then kept punching and kicking until I suddenly went airborne.

"Hey, hey, calm down, killer," Dean soothed as he dragged me away.

I was wrestled in the backseat of the impala where Sam was waiting. I looked at him surprised to find him in the backseat. Dean got into the passenger seat and that's when I realized that we weren't alone.

"Dad," I whispered.

"Hey, junior," Dad smiled.

Dad gunned the engine and we left Detroit in our back mirror. I realized quickly that everything was packed up and we were on our way to the next hunt and our next school and cover.


	3. Memories You Can’t Leave Behind

**_Author's Note: I dedicate this chapter to executive producer and writer Kim Manners. As many of you know, Kim Manners died recently of cancer leaving fans, family, friends, and the entire cast and crew alike to fill a void. While this author did not know Kim Manners I know how it feels to lose someone to cancer. The pain one feels is horrible but to honor the fallen we must live our own lives well. That is why this story, as well as all the other stories from the Supernatural universe will know be written in his memory. My thoughts and prayers are with every one during this time of grieving. Thank you, Beccatdemon13_**

**_

* * *

_****Chapter Three: Memories You Can't Leave Behind**

I had been all over the country by the time I was nineteen years old. Which I guess was pretty cool if every state we had been too I couldn't associate with a scar or injury. But I always loved the West and Southern states. Normally it wasn't too hot but it wasn't too cold either. It was the happy medium that we, meaning, my family and I didn't often get to experience. Granted, I think the worst exposure to the elements was my first major kill, which was also the first time I was allowed to hunt with Dad, Dean, and Sam. I don't know why but I wasn't allowed to hunt as early as Dean and Sam were, although I was trained along side them.

_Whatever idiot decided to go camping when there was a fucking blizzard approaching deserved to be eaten by wild animals. At least that's what I thought and yet no one ever listened to me. So, here we trapped in the impala on our way to Harmony, Colorado where there were rumors of huge bears killing people. The car was full of tension because Sam and Dad had fought before Dad had found this hunt causing us to leave school number five, and it was only December. _

_Despite the tension Dean was ordered in the backseat with me while Sam sat shotgun because he was complaining that his legs kept cramping up if he sat in the back. Dean didn't say anything not wanting another Sammy bitch fit. We had been in the car for around five hours and I was fast asleep, my head resting on Dean's thigh as I curled to fit the tight space of the impala's backseat. I felt Dean's hand running through my messy hair. Dean probably wasn't even thinking about what he was doing and I wasn't about to tell him to stop as it made me feel safe. Somewhere along the night Dean had shrugged out of his leather jacket that was once Dad's and placed it over my torso._

_When I woke up Sam had taken Dean's place in the backseat and Dean was the one that was driving while Dad slept. While other fourteen years old were doing homework or hanging out with friends, I was stuck in the one thing that had been a constant, my home, the impala. Most people would think this would be sad but I loved the impala it made me feel safe because it was the only thing that was left from before my mother died. Some would argue that my father was still here but I knew that Mom's death had changed him, how could it not?_

"_Hey, squirt," Dean smiled. "Nice to see you finally woke up."_

"_Dean, when can we stop for the night?" I asked._

"_Soon," Dean replied. "We just got into Colorado. Dad's orders were to find a motel a few miles in. I've been looking."_

"_I see one!" I whispered pointing up the street where the familiar neon lights lit up the surrounding darkness._

"_Good eyes, baby boy," Dean smirked._

_He pulled into the lot turning off the engine before going to the office to get a room for all of us. He got a room that had two queens and a pull out cot. I helped him lug in all the duffel bags before we woke Dad and Sammy up. They stumbled into the room, Sam looked exhausted but Dad looked alert and focused._

"_Dad, do you have a lock on what this is?" Dean asked._

"_It is probably a wendigo," Dad replied._

"_Wendigo?" Sam asked._

"_The wendigo is a malevolent and cannibalistic," Dad started. "They were once human who turned to eating human flesh to survive. They're gaunt and the skin is pulled tightly over its bones. Their complexion is the ash gray of death. They were skeletons with tattered and bloody lips. The Wendigo is a perfect hunter they are good in the daylight but flawless under night's cover."_

"_How do we kill it?" Dean asked._

"_We torch the sucker," Dad replied. "Aiden, this is your first hunt I want you to stay close to your brothers."_

"_Yes, sir," I replied._

"_Get some sleep guys," Dad ordered. "Sammy you can have the pull out this time. Dean share with Aiden."_

_I barely slept at all nervous as hell for my first hunt. It was one thing to spare against my brothers and fire at targets it was completely another to actually succeed your first time. I felt Dean's palm on my shoulder startling me into opening my eyes._

"_Go to sleep," Dean ordered. "You'll do fine."_

_The next time I woke up I heard shuffling as everyone began to get ready. I tried to sleep as long as possible burrowing further under the covers. The movement went unnoticed by both my brothers and my father until Dean tugged my foot._

"_Come on, baby boy, daylight's burin!" Dean whooped._

_I wiped sleep from my eyes as I moved from the nice warm bed climbing into the firs clothes I came across. I shrugged it on and ran my fingers through my hair before putting my shoes on and helping get the duffel bags back into the car. We had to drive for another hour before we parked. It was freezing as we hiked through the woods looking for the campsite where the last people were reported 'missing'. I saw something out of the corner of my eye, claw marks, huge ones._

"_Dad!" I shouted._

_Dad whipped around and saw what I was pointing at. He smiled at me clapping a hand on my shoulder as we changed our direction. Within minutes we had found the campsite. The air smelled like blood and decaying food. I walked around near the area of campsite and looking at the area immediately surrounding the campsite. It was so still there wasn't even a sound. The hair on the back of my neck rose in response. It wasn't natural for the forest to be this quiet. It also was freaking freezing. _

"_Someone help me!" Someone shouted._

_Without a second glance behind me I ran towards the voice. I felt my brothers and my father at my heels as we wandered further and further into the backwoods. Suddenly I was wrenched to a stop as Dad stood over me listening carefully._

"_Get back to camp," Dad ordered. "Quickly. GO!"_

_We all ran back to camp I had fallen behind as Dean and Sam turned on their heel and sprinted back to camp. I was running as fast as I could. I could nearly reach the back of my father's jacket if I wanted to. But that was before I heard a low growl. It only took me being distracted for a moment for me to go crashing down to the forest floor. My world exploded in white as a surge of pain ran through my body. The scream that came out of my mouth I couldn't bite back. _

"_Aiden!" Dad roared._

"_Dean!" I screamed before my world went black._

_Me screaming Dean instead of Dad was more out of instinct then anything else. Dean was he one who was always there. My father was only there in blips and bursts. When I woke up my arms were aching and my shirt stuck to my body with either blood or sweat, I couldn't be sure. I groaned as my eyes opened and I took in my surroundings. I was in a cave that much was certain. I looked up and saw that my hands were bound in rope to a questionably stable looking wooden ceiling. _

_I tested the strength of the rope realizing that it would probably give soon. I listened closely to the area around me and deduced that the Wendigo had left. I took a deep breath before putting my entire body into yanking on the rope. It snapped instantly and I dropped to the ground. It wasn't as graceful as I was going for but at least my arms were free. I was pretty sure that I had a concussion and realized with fleeting anger that the thing had taken my winter coat and the frigid air was beginning to take it's toll. I searched around and found the flare gun that my father had given us. I frowned as I realized that I wasn't alone in the cave. I think I found the campers that we were looking for. _

_I heard the growling again and this time I hide behind one of the campers as the wendigo emerged from the mouth of the cage. I fought back a whimper. It was exactly as Dad had described. It was Skelton like and had long claw like fingers. It was grey and looked, as though it didn't have any skin. It stalked toward the other camper, who I knew with a mere glance was already dead and looked like it had been that way for a quite a while. The Wendigo began to eat from the deceased camper and I had to fight against my body's first instinct to run or throw up. When it was sufficiently distracted with eating I took the safety off the flare gun before firing two shots in quick succession._

_The Wendigo had heard me and dodged the first shot but it didn't miss the second one. It let out an inhuman shriek as the entire Wendigo exploded in fire. I only had one more flare and I hoped wherever my family was they'd be able to see it. I wandered over to where I could see the light from outside and fired straight up watching as it exploded in the sky._

_Twenty minutes later I heard the distinct sounds of my family coming closer. Dad was barking orders and Dean was shouting for me. I sighed lobbing the gun against the wall where it made quite a crack and got them to where I was._

"_Aiden?" Dean growled running over to me and running his hands and eyes over me checking for any and all injuries._

"_I'm fine, Dean," I sighed. "One of the campers is dead."_

"_You're freezing," Dean, growled pulling his coat off and wrapping me in it. "Where's the Wendigo."_

"_I killed it," I whispered._

"_You did?" Dad asked._

"_Yeah," I smiled._

"_Good job, Aiden," Dad responded clapping me on the shoulder. "Let's get out of here."_

"_And never come back," I muttered._

_Sam smirked throwing an arm over my shoulder._

"_Pizza tonight, boys?" Dad smiled._

"_Hell yes!" Dean whooped._

"Aiden, you with me?" Dean asked

"Dean we finished the case," I complained.

"Yeah, I know, genius," Dean growled. "I said that Dad hasn't answered his phone for a week."

"That isn't exactly an emergency, Dean," I sighed. "He doesn't like to answer his phone on hunts. He hasn't since we all graduated."

"Aiden, this is different."

"Different how?" I retorted. "We've gone on separate cases before. He probably lost the charger to his phone or something. He's not exactly the most technically competent person out there."

"We're going to Jericho," Dean growled.

"Dad's gonna be pissed," I sighed.

"Get in the fucking car, Runt."

"You know you really shouldn't be able to say that anymore," I grumbled. "Six foot two." I said pointing at myself. "Six foot." I pointed at him.

"Doesn't matter," Dean smirked. "I can still kick your ass."

"Ooh, I'm so scared," I snickered ducking into the passenger seat.

The rock music blared as we left New Orleans in the dust. I fell asleep quickly resting against the window as Dean drove nearly through the night. The next time I woke up we were in California. I attributed the fact that I slept like a rock to the painkillers in my system. Apparently that voodoo bitch had more up her sleeve than either Dean or I thought, leading to me getting thrown through a second story window. Yeah, it was as much fun as it sounded.

"You sleep like the dead," Dean informed me. "Want dinner?"

"Yeah?" I shrugged ignoring the pain that raced through my shoulder. If Dean noticed the grimace he didn't say anything.

We both grabbed burgers from the nearest Burger King and ate quickly. I assumed that we were going to crash for the morning and I was right. There was only one motel in town and luckily there was one room left. I stumbled through the room taking the bed furthest from the door while Dean took the one that was closest. I don't think that I even thought about how beds were chosen. It was understood that Dean would get the closest bed probably from years of that happening.

We both slept for a few hours and when I got up I took the liberty to find out where we were. And where we were was nowhere close to Jericho. We were in Palo Alto, you know, the town in which Stanford University resides. The very same University that Sammy goes to. I glared at Dean throwing a pen at the back of his head.

"Aiden what the hell?" Dean growled.

"Palo Alto?" I retorted.

"What are you going on about?" Dean demanded.

"Why are we in Palo Alto, Dean?" I responded. "Dad doesn't want us involved with Sam anymore."

"That's bullshit, Aiden," Dean groaned. "We stop by to check up on him every few months. If he really didn't want us involved he would've left well enough alone when Sam walked out four years ago."

"He told Sam to stay gone, Dean," I responded. "You don't just say that to your son."

"Aiden, I'm not having this conversation with you," Dean warned. "We're going to get Sam."

"He doesn't want us, Dean!" I shouted. "He never returns our calls. Never calls us. I got the message. Why haven't you?"

"Look, we're doing this my way," Dean responded. "And we're getting Sam."

"Whatever," I grumbled.

"Move it, Aiden," Dean ordered quickly shrugging on his jacket and grabbing the impala's keys before exiting the motel room. I glared after my oldest brother following him into the impala as we went in the direction of Stanford University.

"What were you thinking about earlier?" Dean asked suddenly.

"What do you mean?" I responded.

"When you went all space cadet and unresponsive for ten minutes?" Dean prodded.

"My first kill," I replied.

"You mean the one where you damn near froze to death?" Dean asked. "Or the one gave you that nasty scar on your back?"

"Yeah, Dean, that one," I scoffed.

"That was your first hunt," Dean smirked. "You did a good job."

"Thanks, Dean." I laughed.

Dean pulled the impala into a side street by Sam's apartment and together we got out of the car. I volunteered to stay by the car as Dean went to get Sam. Instead of using the front door like a normal person, I watched my older brother shimmy up the drainpipe and into Sam's apartment window. I heard the distinct sound of something breaking and stifled a laugh. Dean was as graceful as a elephant in a china shop. At least that's what Dad always said. Ten minutes later the screen door banged open and I heard the tale end of Sam and Dean's conversation.

"I swore I was done hunting, Dean, for good," Sam growled.

"Come on, it wasn't easy but it wasn't that bad." Dean scoffed.

"I told Dad I was afraid of the thing in my closest and he gave me a .45." Sam snorted.

"What was he supposed to do?" Dean retorted sharply.

"I was nine years old," Sam snapped. "He was supposed to tell me not to be afraid of the dark."

"Don't be afraid of the dark?" Dean scoffed. " Of course, you should be afraid of the dark. You know what's out there!"

"Yeah, Dean, I know," Sam sighed. "But the way we grew up after Mom was killed…Dad's obsession to find the thing that killed her. And we still haven't found the damn thing. So, we kill everything we can find."

"We save a lot of people doing it," Dean hissed.

"Do you think Mom would've wanted this for us," Sam demanded. "The weapon training? And melting the silver into bullets? Man, Dean, we were raised like warriors."

"So what?" Dean demanded. "You're going to go live some apple pie normal life? Pretend you never knew about this stuff?"

"Not normal, safe," Sam corrected.

"And that's why you ran away?" Dean scoffed.

"I was just going to college," Sam spat. "It was our father that told me if I was leaving that I should stay gone and that's what I'm doing."

"You're a selfish bastard," I muttered as they both approached the impala. It was obvious both had heard me as Sam stiffened and Dean glared at me.

"Aiden," There was iron in the words warning against pressing the issue and I sighed in response. There was just no dealing with Dean when his voice got that flinty. I had learned that a long time ago. "And get off my baby."

Dean was referring to the fact that I was currently sitting on the truck of his precious impala. I hopped off and folded my arms sending a death glare in Sam's direction. Dean either saw the look or still had that spidey sense that went off whenever Sam and I started with each other because I got smacked upside the head, none to gently, might I add. I huffed and crossed my arms as Dean and Sam continued talking.

I sighed leaning against the passenger side of the impala when I heard the tape from Dad's last voicemail. We had gotten it yesterday and I could tell it bothered him. It bothered me too I mean Dad didn't answer his phone after that."

"Be very careful, Dean, we're all in danger," Dad had said before the message cut out.

There was EVP all over the voicemail, which Sam recognized all over the tape and the ECP alone was enough to set Dean into full on hunter mode. After a few more moments of convincing Sam agreed to come with us just as long as he got back on Monday.

"What's first thing Monday?" Dean asked.

"Interview," Sam replied.

"Like a job interview?" Dean scoffed. "Skip it."

"It's for law school," Sam chuckled in such a way that had me itching to knock that smirk off his face. "And it's my whole future on a plate."

"Yeah, okay," Dean rolled his eyes.

Sam did the classic Sammy bitch face, which was the face he made whenever Dean did something that bothered him. In most other situations the face was amusing but it just irked me further. Once Sam went back inside Dean rounded on me.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Dean hissed poking me sharply. "Are you on the rag or something?"

"Cute, Dean," I rolled my eyes. "We don't need him and he's acting like he is doing us a huge fucking favor."

"Hey, watch that mouth, Junior," Dean warned.

"I'm nineteen, Dean," I retorted sharply. "And I had you as a role model."

"Hey!" Dean spat suddenly offended.

"You cursed like a sailor," I smiled. "Still do."

"Shut it, smartass." Dean glowered.

"He shouldn't act like that, Dean," I responded. "It's his father too."

"Aiden, you know he and Dad had that huge fight," Dean sighed.

"That doesn't mean they aren't suddenly blood anymore," I argued. "Blood is always there, Dean. We can hate each other, want to kill each other, but we'll never stop loving each other."

"Look, just don't start with each other," Dean ordered. "Get into the car."

"Why do I have to get into the back?" I grumbled.

"You're the youngest."


	4. Running to Stand Still

**Chapter Four: Running to Stand Still**

"So, Dad was checking out this two-lane blacktop outside of Jericho, California. About a month ago this guy," Dean started as we were driving towards Jericho explaining the situation to Sam. Dean opened up the front compartment and passed Sam a folder. "They found his car but he'd vanished, completely MIA."

"Maybe he was kidnapped?" Sam suggested.

"Yeah, well, here's another one in April, and another one in December '04, '03, '98, '93. Ten of them over the past twenty years, all men, all same five mile stretch of road. Started happening more and more so Dad went to go dig around, which was three weeks ago, as you know," I retorted.

"Why didn't you guys go with him?" Sam asked.

"We were working our own gig. A voodoo thing down in New Orleans." Dean responded.

"Dad let you guys on a hunting trip by yourselves?" Sam asked.

"I'm twenty six dude," Dean scoffed. "And Mr. Sunshine back there is nineteen."

"Bite me, Dean," I growled.

I fell asleep again and the next time I woke up we were in a gas station. I yawned and stretched. Sam was sitting out of the passenger seat with Dean's box of cassette tapes on his lap. I rolled my eyes and got out of the car.

"Aiden, where are you going?" Sam asked.

"Taking a piss," I answered.

"Aiden!" Dean shouted.

"What?" I grumbled.

"Either of you want breakfast?" Dean asked.

"Yeah," I replied.

When I came back Dean was coming out of the mini-mart with a few breakfast bars and juice in his hands. He tossed some to me as I climbed back into the car..

"How'd you pay for that stuff?" Sam asked. "You guys still running credit card scams?"

"Yeah, well, hunting ain't exactly a pro-ball career. Besides, all we do is apply it's not our fault they send us the cards." Dean smirked.

"What names did you write on the application this time?" Sam asked.

"Bert Aframian and his sons, Hector and David," Dean replied. "Scored three cards out of that deal."

"Sounds about right," Sam smiled. "I swear man; you gotta update your cassette-tape collection."

"Why?" Dean muttered.

"Well for one they're cassette tapes, and two?" Sam teased. "Black Sabbath? Motorhead? Metallica? It's the greatest hits of mullet rock."

Dean snatched the Metallica tape out of Sam's hand and shoved it into the cassette player, "House rules, Sammy. Driver picks the music, shotgun shuts his cakehole."

"You know Sammy is a chubby twelve year old, " Sam muttered. "It's Sam, okay?"

"Sorry, can't hear you the music's too loud!" Dean smirked pumping up the music.

Sam pouted and crossed his arms, which caused me to laugh as I put my feet up near Sam's head and waited for us to get into Jericho. Sam glared at my foot but I kept it where it was until Dean smacked them and told me that I knew better then to treat his baby that way. That was when I rolled my eyes and put my feet back down. We had only been in Jericho for five minutes when we saw all the cop cars by the bridge.

"There's no one matching dad at the hospital or morgue," Sam informed us.

"That's helpful," I snarked. "We knew he wasn't dead, Sammy."

"What the fuck is your problem, Aiden?" Sam demanded turning in his seat to glare at me.

"You really gotta ask?" I laughed. "And here I thought college boys were supposed to be smart."

"Hey!" Dean snapped stopping what would be a full-blown argument between Sam and I. "Check it out."

Sam and I look angrily at Dean as he points out of the cop cars and the yellow police tape. Dean leafed through our box of IDs before throwing one back at me and handing Sam one while he pocketed his. We walked over to the car that was parked in the middle of the bridge that currently had two cops looking at it from top to bottom.

"You had another one just like this last month, didn't ya?" Dean asked.

"Who are you?" One of the policemen asked.

"Federal Marshals," Dean smirked.

"You three are a little young for Marshals, aren't you?" The cop responded.

"He's an intern," Dean replied jerking a finger towards me. "Get me some coffee."

I narrowed my eyes before I bumped into Dean pick pocketing his keys as I moved away from the crime scene.

"You did have another just like this correct?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, about a mile up the road." The cop answered. "There have been other before that."

"So this victim, you knew him?" Sam questioned.

"In a town like this everybody knows everybody," The cop sighed.

"Any connections between the victims besides that they're all men?" Dean asked.

"No, not so far as we can tell."

"So, what's the theory?" Sam asked

"Honestly?" The cop muttered. "We don't know. Serial murder? Kidnapping ring?"

"Well, that is exactly the kind of crack police work I'd expect out of you guys," Dean smirked.

I heard Sam stomp on Dean's foot and I bit back a laugh as I leaned on the impala.

"Thank you for your time," Sam smiled. "Gentleman."

I watched as Sam stepped away and walked towards me with Dean fast approaching. The hand that landed upside Sam's head was like clockwork.

"Ow!" Sam squawked. "What was that for?"

"Why'd you have to step on my foot?" Dean demanded.

"Why do you have to talk to police like that?" Sam retorted.

"Come on. They don't really know what's going on. We're all alone on this. I mean if we're gonna find dad we've gotta get to the bottom of this thing ourselves," Dean growled.

They stopped in their approach when the sheriff and two more feds came on the scene. They quickly hightailed it over to the car only stopping when Dean patted his jeans and his jacket.

"Where are my keys?" Dean demanded.

"What?" Sam asked. "You had them."

"Aiden!" Dean snapped glaring at me angrily.

"Yes, big brother?" I smirked.

"Give me my fucking car keys," Dean ordered harshly.

"What's the magic word?" I grinned.

"Aiden, I swear to god I will kill you," Dean growled.

I rolled my eyes and tossed him the keys, which he used to unlock the door.

"You are so lucky we're in a public place, buddy boy," Dean muttered.

We drove over to where we heard the latest victims girlfriend was hanging up missing posters. Dean parked the car and we all got out walking until we saw two girls one of which was hanging up a poster under a marquee.

"I'll bet you that's her," Dean whispered.

"Yeah."

We walked up to the girl and she tried to hide the fact that she jumped as she glanced at the three of us cautiously.

"You must be Amy," Dean smiled.

"Yeah?" Amy replied.

"Troy told us about you, were his uncles. I'm Dean, this is Sammy, and this is Aiden," Dean introduced.

"He never mentioned you to me," Amy shrugged.

"Well that's Troy, I guess. We're not around much; we're up in Modesto," Dean responded.

"So we're looking for him too, and we're kind of asking around," I prodded/

" Hey, are you okay?" A girl asked Amy.

"Yeah," Amy responded shooting her friend a questioning glance.

"Do you mind if we ask you a couple questions?" Sam asked politely.

The two girls lead us down the street to a nearby diner. When we were all situated with some coffee we asked Amy what had happened.

" I was on the phone with Troy. He was driving home. He said he would call me right back, and he never did," Amy sniffled.

" He didn't say anything strange or out of the ordinary?" Sam questioned.

"No, nothing I can remember," Amy whimpered.

"I like your necklace," Sam said trying to put the young girl at ease.

"Troy gave it to me. Mostly to scare my parents with all that devil stuff," Amy smirked holding the pentacle lightly between her fingers.

"Actually, it means just the opposite. A pentagram is protection against evil, really powerful. I mean, if you believe in that kind of thing," Sam corrected.

" Okay, thank you _Unsolved Mysteries_," Dean rolled his eyes, "here's the deal ladies…the way Troy disappeared something's not right. So if you've heard anything…"

We all caught the look Amy and her friend exchanged.

"What is it?" We all ask at once.

"Well, its just with all these guys going missing, people talk," Amy's friend shrugged.

"What do they talk about?" We asked again.

"It's kind of this local legend. This one girl, she got murdered out on Centennial like decades ago. Well, supposedly she's still out there. She hitchhikes, and whoever picks her up, well, they disappear forever," The girl explained.

We left the diner a short while after that, especially since we got what we needed. We had the local legend now all we had to do was research the archives. We were at the local library when dean and Sam started fighting over the computer. Sam pushed Dean's chair causing him to roll away from the computer. Dean punched Sam in the shoulder but Sam had just gotten a hit. There was a suicide, not a murder. That lead us to the bridge we were on this morning. There were blockades keeping people from driving through it but Sam and I moved them so that Dean could park.

" So this is where Constance took the swan dive," Dean replied closing the door to the impala.

"You think dad would have been here?" Sam asked

"He's chasing the same story and we're chasing him," I shrugged.

"Okay, so now what?" Sam demanded.

"Now we keep digging till we find him," Dean answered. His voice was clipped and my shoulder's tensed. "It might take a while."

"Dean, I told you, I've gotta get back by…"

"Monday," Dean rolled his eyes, "right, the interview."

"Yeah," Sam responded.

"Yeah, I forgot. You're really serious about this aren't you? You think you're just gonna become some lawyer? Marry your girl?" Dean grumbled.

"Maybe," Sam replied defensively, "why not?"

"Does Jessica know the truth about you? I mean, does she know about the things you've done?" Dean retorted.

"No and she's not ever going to know," Sam hissed.

"That's healthy. You can pretend all you want, Sammy. But sooner or later you're going to have to face up to who you really are," Dean shrugged walking further down the bridge. I walked behind him cautiously. I sensed a fight and if my brothers' were anything to go by it would explode soon and fast.

"Who is that?" Sam demanded.

"One of us," Dean grinned.

"No, I'm not like you," Sam snapped. "This is not going to be my life."

"You've got a responsibility," Dean growled.

"To dad and his crusade? If it weren't for pictures I wouldn't even know what mom looks like. Do you really think I still remember her? Sam yelled. "And what about you, Aiden? Why are you so loyal to the cause? If I didn't remember Mom neither would you."

"I want to find the thing that killed her, Sam," I shrugged. I don't want anyone to go through what we did."

"What difference would it make? Even if we do find the thing that killed her, mom's gone, and she isn't coming back," Sam growled.

Before I could respond Dean had grabbed Sam by the shirt and slammed him against one of the bridge supports.

"Dean!" I shouted. I had never seen Dean physically threaten either of us at least never in an argument like this.

"Don't talk about her like that," Dean warned.

"Dean?" I called.

I think it was the tone of my voice that alerted both Dean and Sam to the fact that something was wrong. They followed my line of sight to where a woman was standing on the railing looking down at the water. Suddenly she looks over at us before falling off the bridge. We all run over and look down but there was no sign of movement in the water or the telltale splash of her going into the water.

"Where'd she go?" Dean demanded.

"I don't know," Sam replied.

We all were at a lose for words. Just when things couldn't get any weirder Dean's car started up.

"What the…" Dean yelped

"Who's driving your car?" I asked

Dean reached into his pocket and pulled out his keys to show that no one could be driving the car. But it was obvious that something was as it charged down the bridge coming straight toward us. Sam, Dean, and I started running an when it became obvious that we would never out run the car we dove off the side. I missed the railing by a fraction of an inch but Sam snagged my wrist, keeping me from plummeting to the ground. Sam peaked over the railing and once he figured that the spirit was gone. Sam allowed me to use him as a rope to get back onto the bridge. I leaned over the side offering Sam a hand.

"Where's Dean?" I asked.

I panic slightly as Sam turns to look at the churning water below.

"Dean! Dean!" Sam and I shout.

"What?" Dean snapped sounding really annoyed.

"Hey, are you all right?" Sam asked

I cover a laugh as Dean scurries out of the water. He is completely covered in mud.

"I'm super," Dean snarked.

"How are we gonna get him up here?" I asked Sam. Realizing that this was probably the most I've said to him since he came with us.

"I don't know," Sam frowned shooting another glance at Dean who was able to stand up for a second before slipping and falling back into the mud.

"That's gross, dude," I grimaced.

"Get rope, you idiots!" Dean yelled.

"Oh, right," I barked a laugh.

Sam went and got the rope and together we pulled Dean back onto the bridge. The first thing Dean did when he was back on the bridge was glare at Sam and I before going over to the impala to see if she was okay.

"Car all right?" Sam asked

"Yeah whatever she did to it, it seems all right now," Dean fumed. "That Constance chick. What a bitch!"

"Well she doesn't want us digging around, that's for sure," Sam said "So where's the trail go from here, genius?"

"You smell like a toilet," I interjected sitting on the other side of Sam.

"Shut the fuck up," Dean growled. "Let's get a motel room."

There was only one freaking hotel room in this stupid town. But that would mean that Dad stayed here too. That was confirmed by the manager running the desk who asked if we were having a reunion. We just smiled and got a room before doubling back to the room that was Dad's. I crouched down and quickly picked the lock on the door before going inside. Sam came in after me and Dean was apparently still playing lookout because Sam smirked before grabbing him by the back of the jacket and pulling him into the room. I glanced around the room. To say that it was a mess would be an understatement. The bed was unmade and there were pictures and newspaper articles covering the walls.

"Whoa," Sam muttered.

"I dont think he's been here for a couple days, at least," Dean sighed.

"Salt, cats-eye shells. He was worried. Trying to keep something from coming in," I whispered.

"Centennial Highway victims. I dont get it. I mean different men, different jobs, ages, ethnicities. There's always a connection, right?" Dean mumbled. looking at the different Missing person flyers. "What do these guys have in common?"

"Dad figured it out," Sam stated pointing at a different article. I squinted and saw the words Woman in White.

"What do you mean?" Dean asked

"He found the same article we did. Constance Welch, she's a woman in white," Sam explained.

"You sly dogs. All right, so if we're dealing with a woman in white, Dad would have found the corpse and destroyed it," Dean grinned.

"She could have had another weakness," I shrugged.

"No, dad would want to make sure, he'd dig her up," Dean shook his head, "does it say where she's buried?"

"No, not that I can tell. If I were dad though, I'd go ask her husband. If he's still alive," Sam shrugged.

"All right, why don't you see if you can find an address," Dean ordered. I'm gonna get cleaned up."

"Hey Dean," Sam shouted after Dean as he moved toward the bathroom. Dean turned slightly looking at Sam, "what I said earlier, about Mom and Dad, I'm sorry."

"No chick flick moments." Dean ordered.

"All right, jerk," Sam snapped smirk in place.

"Bitch," Dean scoffed.

I started laughing and looked in apprehension and both Dean and Sam looked at me. They looked at each other and then turned to me once more and said, "Runt."

"I'm taller then both of you, jerks," I muttered.

"You're still the youngest," Dean shrugs going into the bathroom.

"He's got you there, Aiden," Sam laughed.

"You guys suck," I pouted dropping onto the bed.

I was flipping through channels as Sam was checking his voicemail. Realizing quickly there was nothing on TV I got even more bored. I sighed as I continued to flip through the channels trying to find something decent to watch. Sam sighed and moved to the other side of the bed watching the shows with partial interest.

"Aiden," Sam whispered.

"What?" I asked.

"Why are you so mad at me?" Sam asked.

"You never answer when either of us call you," I retorted. "And you promised you would."

"Aiden," Sam sighed.

"No, Sammy, you don't turn your back on family," I interrupted. "We're always going to be here."

Sam was saved from answering that because at that moment Dean came out of the bathroom having changed into clean clothing.

"Guys, I'm starving. I'm gonna grab a little something to eat at that diner down the street," Dean announced. "You want anything?"

"Burger," I replied.

"No thanks," Sam said.

"That's right, Sammy here has to watch his figure," I teased.

"Man, shut up," Sam growled.

It seemed that Dean had only been gone a minute when Sam's phone began to ring. He glanced at the screen before answering it. I heard the conversation because it was on speakerphone.

"What?" Sam questioned.

"Dude, five-o take off," Dean ordered.

I stood up and glanced out of the window. I saw two cops approaching Dean and gesturing towards the room. He had gotten caught. Sam had confirmed what I thought.

"What about you?" Sam asked.

"Uh, they kind of spotted me. Go find dad." Dean said before disconnecting the line.

I rolled my eyes moving quickly to the window in the bathroom and pulling it open. I climbed out of it and waited for Sam to climb out too. We went around to the back of the motel and hid until the cops were gone. It was decided that Sam would talk to Mr. Welch while I try to get dean out of his arrest. It took me a while to figure it out before I placed a fake 911-phone call. I was walking back towards the motel when Dean pulled up along side me in a stolen car. Not that I was surprised I mean Sam had the impala.

"Fake 911 phone call Aiden?" Dean laughed. "Get in the car."

"What's up, Dean?" I asked.

"Dad's not here," Dean replied. "Call Sam."

I rolled my eyes and dialed Sam's number. He answered on the second ring.

"We're are dealing with a woman in white," Sam said.

"Well, hello to you to, Sammy," I rolled my eyes, "listen…"

"She's buried behind her old house. So that should have been Dad's next stop." Sam continued.

"Sammy would you shut up for a second," Dean growled snatching the phone right out of my hand.

"I just cant figure out why he hasn't destroyed the corpse yet," Sam continued completely oblivious.

"Well that's what I'm trying to tell you," Dean groaned. He's gone. Dad left Jericho."

"What?" Sam asked, "how do you know?"

"I've got his journal," Dean responded.

"He doesn't go anywhere without that," Sam gasped.

"That's what we've been trying to tell you!" Dean and I shouted.

"Well, what's it say?" Sam asked.

"Same old ex-marine crap when he wants to let us know where he's going," Dean muttered.

"Where are the coordinates to? Sam asked.

"I'm not sure yet," Dean muttered.

"I dont understand, I mean what could be so important that dad would just skip out in the middle of a job? Dean, what the hell is going on? Sam demanded before suddenly shouting, "WHOA!"

"Sam?" Dean growled. "Sam!"

The phone line disconnects and Dean guns the car he stole. I reiterated the directions to the old Welch home and we came just in time to hear Sam's screams. Dean runs out of the car with a gun at the ready. By the time I skidded to his side the ghost had disappeared and Sam was driving the car into the house only saying, "I'm taking you home!"

"Sam!" I shouted moving through the suddenly broken house as Dean watched my back, gun at the ready.

"Sam! You okay?" Dean asked.

"I think so," Sam grumbled.

"Can you move?" Dean questioned.

"Yeah," Sam grunted before thinking about it, "help me."

Dean reaches into the impala pulling Sam towards to the window and helping him out. I helped Dean lift Sam out of the car. He was a lot more heavy then he looked. We all turned around when we were heard the sound of glass breaking. Constance had dropped the picture she was holding before moving out of the way of the dresser and sending it straight into the three of us.

We were pinned to the front of the car without any of us able to push it away. She couldn't do anything before the house was suddenly filled with the sound of running water. I watched intrigued as suddenly two children appeared in front of Constance and grab her into a hug. The spirits energies must have cancelled each other out because there was only a puddle left on the ground when the light had disappeared.

"So this is where she drowned her kids?" Dean nodded.

"That's why she could never go home. She was too scared to face them," Sam sighed.

"You found her weak spot," Dean grinned, "nice work Sammy."

"I wish I could say the same for you. What were you thinking shooting Casper in the face, you freak?" Sam teased.

"Hey, saved your ass," Dean retorted. "I'll tell you another thing. If you screwed up my car, I'll kill you."

"Yeah, whatever, can we get out of here before the cops find us?" I asked.

Sam and Dean looked at me and before I knew it I was under some older brother retribution as I was tickled mercilessly.

"Damn it!" I howled, laughing hysterically. "Dean stop!"

"What's the magic word, Aiden?" Dean demanded.

"Uncle?" I squeaked as his fingers brushed along my rib.

"How about I'll never steal your car keys again?" Sam teased.

"Okay, okay!" I groaned. "I give."

"Good," Dean smirked. "Now let's get out of here. Stop fooling around."

Sam and I looked at each other before glaring at Dean. He raised a hand. "Don't even think about it, you two."

Sam and I rolled our eyes and helped Dean get the impala out of the house and before we realized it we were close to Palo Alto. I sighed listening to my older brothers bicker about why Sam was going back. Part of me understood but the majority of me still felt betrayed. And yet I still wanted Sam to be happy. Talk about a double-edged sword.

"Okay here's where Dad went." Sam announced, "it's called Blackwater Ridge, Colorado."

"Sounds charming." Dean snorted. "How far?"

"About 600 miles." Sam shrugged.

"If we shag ass we can make it by morning." Dean announced.

"The interview's in 10 hours, I gotta be there." Sam whispered.

"Yeah. Yeah, whatever. I'll take you home."

The car ride was more tense then it had been before and I felt Dean speed up a little. We were in ten minutes and Sam got out of the car turning back towards us.

"You'll call me if you find him?" Sam asked.

We both nodded and we both watched him get into his apartment before beginning to drive away. It had to have been five minutes at the most before I suddenly felt an intense heat and I felt pain, lots of pain. I gasped and Dean stomped down on the brake.

"Aiden?" Dean asked. "Dude, you okay?"

"Sam," I whispered. "We have to go back."

Dean looked at me in confusion but did as I was told quickly turning around and racing towards Sammy's apartment. Dean had barely stopped the car before I was out and racing towards the apartment.

"Aiden!" Dean shouted. "Aiden, stop!"

I was wrenched to a stop by Dean's hand on my shoulder.

"Stay here," Dean ordered.

I must've looked as mutinous as I felt because he sent me a firm glare before moving towards the apartment. I was pacing back and forth shooting nervous glances at the window that Dean had climbed through only days before. When a ball of flame flew out the window I dropped to my knees, hands over my ears wincing in pain.

"Aiden," I heard a voice whisper seconds before Dean roughly pulling Sam out of the apartment. Dean grabbed my by my shirt collar pulling me away from the lawn and towards the impala. I stood by Sam as Dean went to talk to the firefighter. I sighed resting a hand on Sam's shoulder. Sam, for his part, attempted a watery smile before turning back to the gun he had in his hands. When Dean came up they looked at each other before Sam drops the gun back into the trunk.

"We have work to do," Sam growled.

Dean and I shot each other nervous glances. This was going to get a lot worse before it got better. I could tell.


	5. Of Heartbreaks and Hotels

**Chapter Five: Of Heartbreaks and Hotels**

In all my nineteen years of being Sam and Dean Winchester's little brother I had never seen either of them like this. I don't think I've ever seen Dean not knowing what to do or Sam looking so defeated. Dean had basically informed us that we were staying in Palo Alto as long as necessary. We accompanied Sam to Jess's funeral standing in the back because Sam didn't want to talk to her parents. Dean and I didn't understand that, most adults loved Sammy. But we understood why that night. Sam had taken a page out of my book by having nightmares or night terrors. Tonight, it was a nightmare but it was very telling. He blamed himself for Jessica's death.

Dean was ready to stay in Palo Alto for a very long time. I was okay with that lounging on one of the motel beds as Dean went to get breakfast and Sam went…somewhere. They both came back around the same time.

"We're leaving," Sam growled.

"Sam," Dean started gently.

"We have to get to Blackwater Ridge, Dean," Sam growled.

"Sam…" I tried.

"The thing that killed Jess is gone," Sam shouted. "We need to leave. I just withdrew from school. It's time to go."'

Dean and I looked at each other before deciding it was just better to do what Sam had asked. It took fifteen minutes for us to pack up and throw the weapons in the trunk and then our regular duffels of clothes and put those in the trunk as well. I sighed climbing into the back of the impala stealing one of the takeout boxes that had my breakfast in it.

"Aiden, sit up," Dean ordered as I was eating a breakfast burrito.

"Why?" I asked. "It's not like we have seatbelts."

"Because I told you too," Dean hissed.

I glared at him but did as he had asked. I was glancing out the window when my phone suddenly began to buzz. The sign that I had a text message. I tilted my head in curiosity the only people that would text me was sitting in the car with me. I mean I had friends but they preferred to call more often then not. Still, I took my phone out of my pocket and frowned in annoyance.

"Dean," I said.

All I had to say was that one word before Dean had pulled over the impala and turned to look me questions in his gaze.

"What is it?" He asked.

"Dad," I replied handing over my phone.

"More coordinates?" Dean fumed. "What is this?"

"The number's restricted," I pointed out.

"Since when does Dad know how to text?" Sam questioned. "The man could barely work a toaster."

"And what about Blackwater Ridge?" Dean asked.

"I'll call Quinn Buchannan," I responded.

"Bobby Singer's niece?" Sam questioned. "What would she have anything to do with this?"

"She hears things," I shrugged.

"Yeah and you having a little 'crush' on her has nothing to do with this?" Dean demanded giving me a stern look.

"Quinn is a good hunter, Dean," I retorted.

"Then call her," Dean responded. "Sammy find where those coordinates put us."

I glared at the back of my brother's head as I dialed the familiar number. Two rings later Quinn had answered the phone.

"Aiden Winchester, as I live and breathe," Quinn grumbled. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"There's something going on in Blackwater Ridge, Colorado," I responded. "I need to know if it has been taken care of."

"It has," Quinn answered calmly. "Other hunter took care of it. Wendigo. I thought you'd prefer not to be involved with one again. So, I arranged for a favor. You're father was informed through various sources and sent you new coordinates."

"You've talked to my father?" I asked.

"Not personally," Quinn corrected. "But he has his own indirect way of communication."

"Becks," I warned using my nickname for her.

"I'm not lying, Winchester," Quinn retorted. "Just go to Silver Springs, Maryland like your father asked you too."

"What are we up against?" I asked. "Any idea?"

"My best guess would be witches but who knows," Quinn sighed. "Just don't do anything stupid."

"Thanks, Quinn, really nice," I grumbled.

"Truth hurts, Winchester."

I didn't get a chance to respond before I heard the hum of dial tone. I rolled my eyes and pocketed my phone. Dean sighed as I informed him that this hunt was in Maryland. That would mean at the least another three days of driving. Despite nearly living in this car my entire life I still hated being stuck in here. Maybe it was because of my height, I mean it felt like a freaking clown car in here sometimes especially when I was stuck in the back.

Three days later, thanks mostly in part to my brother's lead foot, we were in Silver Springs. It was a cute little town hard to believe that there would be an actual coven in here. Witches were freaking nasty and I wasn't talking about the Wicca people, they were perfectly fine. I was thinking more along the line of dark magic sacrificing random animals to make a spell work.

The first matter of business was finding a motel and then crashing until the next morning. When we all woke up we went straight into research. Or should I say Sam and I went into research while Dean went on the search for breakfast? It had been a rough night. I knew that Sam had probably gotten to little to no sleep and had to have had nightmares with the way he woke up screaming.

We Winchesters were many things but dealing with emotions other than anger and happiness was not what we did. So, Sam had obviously taken a place from Dad's book and decided that vengeance was the best way to deal with grief. Not that I could say anything. It was just disconcerting because I don't remember seeing Sam ever this focused on a hunt before.

"What do we got?" Dean demanded bursting into the room with boxes from a local diner.

"It's definitely witches," Sam replied.

"Great," Dean grumbled. "Witches are freaking disgusting."

"Well, let's check out the most recent victims home, yeah?" Dean prodded.

"Give me my food first, dick," I ordered.

"Runt," Dean retorted throwing me my box.

I glared at the nickname before digging into my breakfast. A half hour later we were at the newest victims house. We searched everywhere for the hex bag and when Dean found it we realized exactly how old school this was. Hex bags were made off bird bones, rabbit teeth, and other odds and ends and placed anywhere near the victim causing the spell to take affect. They could do mostly anything having given their souls to the devil. That meant that the Devil's supernatural abilities took form in human vessels creating this huge mess.

"Man, witches are fucking disgusting," Dean grimaced. "Spewing their bodily feuds everywhere. It's unsanitary."

"This could be anyone," Sam sighed.

"But it's not random," I replied. "It was someone in the victims life. We find the motive…"

"We find the murderer." Dean growled. "Let's get this over with."

We investigated the area talking to nearly everyone who was in Miranda Deegan, the previous victim's life. It could be anyone and that was why it was so frustrating. By the time we got back to the motel it was nearly one in the morning and we were all exhausted. Despite our exhaustion we had to keep researching.

"I'm taking a shower," I muttered.

"Okay," Sam shrugged.

"I'm going to get food," Dean grumbled. The case was bothering him he never did like witches.

"Get me a cheese burger!" I shouted after him.

I closed the bathroom door and stripped off my clothes. I turned on the water waiting until it was nearly scorching before climbing under the steady stream. I sighed allowing myself to nearly relax fully.

**Dean's Point of View**

I came back a half-hour later carrying a bag full of burgers and a few cans of soda and a few bottles of water. Sam was still on his computer and it seemed as though Aiden was still in the shower. That was odd; Aiden only took about ten minutes at the maximum in the shower unless he was injured. I dropped the containers on the table and Sam closed his laptop. I went to the closed bathroom door and knocked on it.

"Hey, Princess, your dinner's here!" I shouted.

At first I didn't hear anything and then I heard the low sound of crying. What the fuck? Was Aiden crying in the bathroom?

"I'm coming in there!" I called my only warning before bursting through the door. My eyes widened as I saw the shower still going but Aiden was nowhere in sight. I felt Sam come up behind me and he quickly looked around. I saw his going-every-which-way hair hiding in the corner.

"Holy shit," Sam hissed.

In front of my very eyes was a three year old with Aiden nowhere in sight. The three year old was crying steadily regarding Sam and I distrustfully. I walked slowly up to the three year old crouching down to his level.

"Hey, little guy," I whispered. "What's your name?"

I was unprepared for the little guy to suddenly straighten up and send a hard kick straight to my shin. I hissed out a breath only to get kicked again. The little kid tore out of the corner like a bat out of hell running through Sam's legs as he made a beeline to the front door. Sam darted after the kid grabbing him under the armpits and yanking him up so that the kid was left kicking air.

"Hey, easy, kid," Sam soothed.

Finally the kid said his first word in our presence, "DEAN!" The little kid howled at the top of his lungs struggling against Sam's grip. His little feet struggling for enough purchase to throw Sam's grip of kilter but none of his attempts were even remotely successful.

"Easy, little dude, what's your name?" I soothed.

"Aiden," The little kid sniffled looking around in confusion.

"That's a very nice name you have there, Aiden," I soothed. "Do you know your last name?"

"Winchester," Aiden muttered.

"Dean," Sam hissed.

"Aiden, what if I told you I was Dean?" I asked.

"Liar," Aiden growled.

"Give him to me," I ordered Sam.

Sam passed Aiden to me and I held him so that I was looking him in the eye. "You're name is Aiden Riley Winchester. And you're three years old."

"De-ean?" Aiden asked tilting his little head as his breathing hitched.

"Yeah, Runt, it's me," I smirked.

"Why are you so big?" Aiden questioned.

"Because I'm the big brother," I responded.

"Okay," Aiden shrugged.

I set Aiden back on the ground watching as he climbed up onto the bed with a little difficulty before he got a running jump. I watched him carefully wondering exactly how my brother could go from nineteen to three in the space of a half hour. I was drawn out of my thoughts when I saw Sam nudge his head towards the door and I got up on following glancing back at the bed and saw Aiden curled in a ball in the middle of one of the beds. I went out into the hallway and closed the door.

"What the hell is going on?" Sam hissed.

"I have no idea," I responded.

"Seriously, Dean," Sam groaned. "Aiden is three."

"I realize that, Sam, what do you want me to do about that?" I asked.

"Change him back," Sam retorted.

"Oh, yeah, because I'm the one that changed him into a three year old," I rolled my eyes.

"Well, who would know why this happened?" Sam asked.

"Quinn and Bobby?" I shrugged.

"God, this is fucked up," Sam muttered.

"Yeah, well, so is everything else we deal with."


	6. Innocence and Instinct

**Chapter Six: ****Innocence and Instinct**

**Dean's Point of View**

"Aiden Riley Winchester, unlock this door right now," I ordered firmly.

"No!" Aiden cried hiding in the impala car keys gripped in his pudgy fingers. "You're a meany!"

"Good job giving a three year old car keys, Dean," Sam sighed

"Shut up, Sam," I warned. "Aiden, please, unlock the door."

"No!" Aiden yelled.

"You get to the count of three before I break the window and come in myself," I threatened.

Aiden's little eyes widened as he regarded me carefully. He frowned before carefully unlocking the impala. He moved to jump into the back seat when I grabbed him and pulled him out of the car.

"Dee-ean!" Aiden protested squirming feebly as I walked back towards the motel room.

"You do not lock yourself in the car," I whispered sternly.

"I didn't mean too," Aiden whined.

"Don't lie either," I scolded.

I moved a chair from the table to the corner and placed Aiden down on it.

"No!" Aiden snapped. "I don't want a time out!"

"Three minutes, Aiden," I replied.

Aiden huffed and dropped himself onto the chair crossing his little arms and glaring at the wall. I sighed rubbing a hand over my face. I had forgotten how much of a pain Aiden was when he was three. Not that I ever regretted raising Aiden and Sam both but a three year old was a hand full and when you're just a kid yourself it's hard to handle. I vaguely remember Aiden pulling the exact same thing with the impala and Dad flipped the shit. Part of me was happy for Aiden he really didn't get a childhood the first time around.

"Dean, Bobby just called," Sam shouted from outside. "We have to go."

I glanced down at my watch relieved to see that it had been three minutes. "Hold on, Sammy."

I walked over to Aiden spinning his chair around so that we were looking eye to eye.

"You understand why you were in time out?" I asked gently.

"Yes," Aiden pouted.

"Come here, little dude," I prodded.

Aiden threw himself into my arms and I held him tightly as I rose from my knees. He moved himself into a comfortable position as I walked past Sam and down the stairs to the car. Sam had already packed up the impala and was waiting in the passenger seat. I opened the passenger door and handed Aiden to Sam before getting into the driver's side.

"Dean?" Sam growled as Aiden settled into his lap.

"We don't have a car seat," I responded. "And the impala doesn't have seatbelts either. Hold him."

Sam looked like he wanted to argue but I just glared at him. I guess he thought better of arguing with me and wrapped his arms around Aiden who fussed a little bit before Sam loosened his grip. The drive to Bobby's house would take about two hours and luckily, Aiden slept through the entire drive. We moved quickly through Singer Salvage Yard until Bobby's house came into view.

"Dean?" Bobby shouted over the roar of the impala. "What are you doing here?"

"We have a problem, Bobby," I answered as I got out of the impala. I heard Sam get out with Aiden in toe.

"Sam?" Bobby asked.

"Hey, Bobby," Sam greeted.

Bobby shot me a questioning look but I gave a quick shake of my head. We had enough problems without discussing why Sam was suddenly back. I laughed quietly as Bobby looked around for Aiden. I don't think he was exactly expecting the Aiden he met sixteen years ago. Sam was carrying miniaturized Aiden who had demanded a piggyback ride.

"Is that Aiden?" Bobby demanded.

"Uh, yeah?" I responded rubbing the back of my neck. We had a run in with a witch."

"How old is he?" Bobby sighed.

"Three," I answered.

"Well, get him inside, you idjits," Bobby ordered sharply. "And I'll see if we can make him as old as he's supposed to be."

"Aiden meet Uncle Bobby," Sam introduced as he walked up the stairs to Bobby's house.

Aiden looked at Bobby distrustfully burrowing his little face into the hollow between Sam's neck and shoulders. Bobby looks at Aiden critically before allowing Sam and Aiden to pass into the house.

"What did you guys do?" Bobby asked stopping my progress into the house.

"We iced the witches, Bobby," I responded. "The spell stuck and I don't understand."

"I'll figure something out," Bobby promised. "He's going to be okay, Dean."

"Uh, Dean?" Sam shouted.

I rushed past Bobby and ran to Sam's side.

"What is it?" I demanded.

Sam pointed inside the bathroom where Aiden was washing his hands.

"What in the hell?" Bobby muttered.

"Aiden?" I called.

Aiden looked up at me and it was obvious that my youngest brother was not three years old anymore. Aiden glanced at me his blue green eyes looked slightly less huge. He had also grown two inches.

"Dean?" Aiden looked at me in confusion. "Why am I so short? And why is my voice this high?"

"You were hit by a spell," Sam said.

"Why does this shit always happen to me?" Aiden muttered.

"Hey, watch the mouth," Bobby scolded.

Aiden sent a dark glare at Bobby. I could tell that Aiden was not the least bit happy. He huffed and crossed his arms muttering under his breath.

"Come again, boy?" Bobby asked.

"I just wanted to see if you'd be watching your mouth if you were suddenly four years old."

"Aiden," I warned.

He glared at me but I shot my own glare back warning him not to press his luck.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"Well, when Aiden got here he was three," Bobby started. "And now he's four. My best guess is that he's going to get older and older until he's back to being nineteen. I'm guessing the spell takes awhile to die out, assuming that you've killed the witch."

"The entire coven is dead," Sam replied.

"Then we just have to wait for the spell to run its course," Bobby shrugged. "I don't think there's much else we can do."

"I have to wait fifteen days to be back to normal?" Aiden howled in outrage.

"At least you're not stuck this way," I responded.

"Yeah, you're all nice and calm when I'm the one that's half my size!" Aiden squeaked.

"I think you're more than half," Sam said. "I mean you're four."

"Gee, thanks, Sam," Aiden growled.

"Fifteen days?" I groaned. "That's a long time, Bobby."

"There's nothing I can do," Bobby stated. "And you killed the one person who could reverse the spell."

"Oh," I grimaced. "Crap."

**Aiden's Point of View**

This really sucked and no one was on my side. Apparently, you had to be at least six feet to curse in the Winchester family because whenever I even thought about cursing I was smacked upside the head. I was surrounded my damn hypocrites. Besides I wasn't really four, I was still nineteen. It was official I hated witches with a fiery passion. And I'm not targeting Wiccan's I'm talking about the dark magic bitches who turned me into a freaking toddler.

I had truly forgotten how tall Sam and Dean actually were. I didn't even remember the last time that I had to literally look up to the when I was talking to them. God, I was freaking tiny and it sucked.

People really didn't know how long fifteen days were. It was two weeks and a day. And while that wasn't forever, most people weren't losing teeth, growing inches, and going through puberty. To say that the next fifteen days of my life were horrible would be an understatement. I think the worst day was when I seemingly lost all my baby teeth at once. I woke up and spit out a tooth. That wasn't so bad but when two more immediately followed I freaked out.

"Dean!" I screamed.

I heard something fall as someone, most likely Dean, climbed up the stairs and rushed into the guest room I was staying in.

"Aiden?" Dean gasped. "What's wrong?"

I extended my hand and opened it. Dean's gaze turned horrified as he looked at all the teeth that I had lost.

"Jesus," Dean hissed, before yelling. "Bobby!"

That caused Sam and Bobby to run up the stairs and skid into the room. Bobby glanced at my hand and hissed out a breath.

"You're losing all your baby teeth," Bobby stated.

I nodded shakily. Sure, it was only my baby teeth but at the same time it was a frightening not to mention these little kid emotions were freaking ridiculous so I really couldn't be blamed when I burst into tears. Sam and Bobby looked somewhat surprised but Dean reacted instinctually pulling me close so that I was lying on his lap with my head buried in his chest.

"It's okay, Aiden," Dean soothed. "Everything will be okay."

"I just lost all my baby teeth in the course of an hour!" I sobbed.

"I know it sucks but it'll be okay," Dean replied rocking me slightly and rubbing my back.

I cried out all my frustration in having been turned into a child only to be growing back into my nineteen-year-old self every day. Or at least that's what Bobby said would happen but the older I got the quicker it accelerated, at least it seemed that way.

When I had calmed down Dean placed me back on the bed. He looked towards Sam who went out of the room only to come back with a cup of water and two pills. Dean grabbed the pills from Sam only to give them to me. I put them in my mouth and drank the water offered to me.

"The pills will make you sleep," Dean told me. "They'll also take away the pain."

"Thanks, Dean," I whispered laying back in bed.

"No problem, kiddo," Dean smiled.

Dean had taken all my baby teeth away from me and I had a feeling that he wouldn't be leaving my room anytime soon. The last thing I was aware of was Dean gently wiping away the blood from my face and hands before I gave into sleep. Hopefully when I woke up everything would be okay again. Or at least as okay as things normally were when I'm nineteen years old.


End file.
